Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-10-01
is nltNNEPiN THERE2

Why Mention Of the Canal was
omitted from the Peoria Conven-
tion Caii---No Opposition 10 the
Measure.
A gentlemen in Geneseo wrote to one
of the Peoria committee on the Illinois
improvement convention, asking him
among other things why no mention was
made of the Hennepin canal scheme in
the cali To this the following answer
was made:
Our committee having fully weighed
the advisabiity of coupling the Hennepin
canal in our call came to this conclusion:
That az that matter had been before con
gress for number of years, and its
friends had not succeeded, it was best to
only look for water route from the lakes
TO the Mississippi by way of the Illinois
river. and that by attaching the Hennepin
canal 1t would weigh it down so we
would not accom- plish ANYTHING. And as
the government had already commenced
improving the Illinois river aud was duty
bound TO complete such Improvement,
could &c; 1t 10 complete said improve
ntent to the lakes. If this is accom>
plished, of which there is n very fatter-
ing prospect the friends of the Henepin
will have got over one-half OF their
canal buIlt-from LaSalle TO the lakes
| Thus II would he much easier
for them, To get the remaining half from
Hrnnepin to Rock Island than now. We
certainly rely upon every friend OF the
Hensepin canal for help in this matter.
| and if We can get it, with what we can
get from every state bordering on the
Mississippi To the gulf, its success is in>
sured | certainly feel that we have
struck the key note that will lead TO sue
cess. both of the Illinois river route and
the Hennepin canal. But, in order to
succeed, il will require the united efforts
of all. We have received 100 letters from
| the cities on the Illinois and Mississippi
rivers, also from all of the western and
southern states, and have their support
for the improvement. All will be repre-
scented in the convention. You would be
| surprised to hear the tone in which they
| all speak. think this will be one of the
| largest waterways conventions eyer held.
Pennsylvania and New York will be rep
resented. Several governors and mem-
| bers of congress have written that they
| will come and help. Ii all go into this
| convention with but one thing in mind.
and that as specified IN our call, we will
| have no trouble.
NOT OPPOSED To THE HENNEPIN.
The importance of the river improves
ment convention Jusuhes the publication
OF the following from the Chicago Inter-
| OceaH:
Two locks and dams have been built
on the Illinois and two more are under
way Six hundred thousand dollars will
complete the present project or open a
| nayIgable channel from the mouth of the
river to LaSale toward Lake Michigan.
Every dollar expended on this portion of
the river on the Chicago divide" is II
| direct contribution to the So-called Hen
nepln canal. or waterway from the Upper
Mississippi to the great lakes. The eX-
dendlture Can be justified on every ground
of public eXpedlency, and when the pros
ject is completed The comparatively short
link from Hennenin to the Mississippi ri
or about Rock Island will be too obvious.
| iy desirable to incur opposition Why is it,
then. that some prominent HennepIn
| canal advocates profess to believe that
the Peoria convention is foreign to their
interests? On the contrary, they should
see that their Interest lies in cooperation
and that in no other way can they so soor
attain their ultimate object. No rational
man or viii congress, attempt to con-
sI.uct the western half of the Hennepir
canal, or that portion from Hennepin Il
the ississippi first. 1t would be useless
until extended to Lake Michigan. Why
not, then, construct that part which vii
be Immediately useful and let the othe
follow 10 It's natural order? We cannot
hut think that the soreness of the Hen
nepin canal advocates arises from Il mis-
understanding of the fact. The Illinois
river men should see that there is u com
mon interest. common ground of effort
II is the Old story OF the tail aud the dog
All parties should recognize which is tai
and which is dog. and the tail should de
sist from dong the wagging.